25 of the best gifts for teenagers

You can’t go wrong with gadgets – whether that’s a retro polaroid camera or the latest gamer tech – or cool décor to add some personality to their bedroom. Viral products they’ve spotted on TikTok are guaranteed to earn you some brownie points with even the hardest-to-please teens, as will some on-trend fashion buys.

Thanks to social media, teens are taking a more sophisticated interest in things like skincare and make-up, but if you do want to gift beauty treats like this, make sure they are suitable for use on teenage skin.

And don’t forget that, despite their best efforts to prove otherwise, teenagers are still big kids at heart. So fun games they can play with their friends or family, and classic toys like LEGO, will still have plenty of appeal when it comes to Christmas and birthday gifting.

We've divided our list into gifts for teenagers for £15 and under, £50 and under, £100 and under, and £100+. Don't forget, that if you’re after a last-minute Christmas present for teens, the goodies from the best teenage advent calendars make excellent stocking fillers. And if you’re buying for pre-teens, make sure you have a read of our round-up of the best toys and presents for 10 year olds.

Best gifts for teenagers at a glance

Best gifts for teenagers £15 and under

• Great inexpensive gift: LEGO Sonic The Hedgehog, £9.99
• Great for retro room décor: Fizz Creations Lava Lamp, £12
• Great for Taylor Swift fans: Swiftea mug, £12.50
• Great for encouraging positive thinking: You Are a Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be by Marcus Rashford, £5
• Great fun gift: Bubble tea making kit, £10.99
• Great small gift: Fluffy socks, £6.99
• Great for stylish teens who love social media trends: Murmioo stainless steel cup with straw, £13.58
• Great for fans of graphic novels and LGBTQ+ love stories: Heartstopper Volume 1, £10.99
• Great for making bathtime colourful and Christmassy: Lush Bath Bomb Set, £10

Best gifts for teenagers £50 and under

• Great for fragrance fanatics: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist, £18.70
• Great for fans of character soft toys: Jellycat Amuseable Popcorn Soft Toy, £27
• Great for hydration with a twist: Air Up Bottle, from £29.99
• Great for cosmetics fans: The Flat Lay Makeup Bag, £22.99
• Great for skincare lovers: Nip and Fab Teen Skin Fix Deluxe Routine Kit, £39.95
• Great for style-conscious teens who love to be comfortable: Nike NSW Club Fleece Overhead Hoodie, £42

Best gifts for teenagers £100 and under

• Great for active teens: FORZA Locking Football Goal 8ft x 6ft, £99.99
• Great for photo-obsessed teens: Polaroid Go Camera, £79.99
• Great meaningful gift: Pandora charm bracelet, from £55
• Great for trainer fanatics: Adidas Samba, £90
• Great for beauty-loving teens: TUREWELL Vanity Mirror with Lights, £77.99
• Great for LEGO lovers who like a challenge: LEGO 42158 Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance Space Set, £59.99

Best gifts for teenagers £100+

• Great for game selection: Xbox Series X/S, from £209.99
• Great for portable gaming: Nintendo Switch OLED, £309.99
• Great cool gift: UGG Classic Mini II Boot, £165
• Great for bike lovers who want to stand out: Hyper Jet Fuel BMX Bike 26" Wheel, £250

Here's our pick of the best gifts for teenage boys and girls

Best gifts for teenagers – £15 and under

1. LEGO Sonic the Hedgehog, £9.99

– Great inexpensive gift

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 13+ | Batteries: No | Material: Plastic

Treat gamers to some screen-free fun with this LEGO tribute to the iconic blue hedgehog. Part of LEGO’s BrickHeadz collection, the 139-piece set features easy-to follow, step-by-step picture instructions to create an 8cm tall Sonic the Hedgehog.

As well as being a fun build, the finished model is sturdy and has a cool pixelated look, making it the perfect display piece for a teen’s bedroom. The baseplate included makes it easy to show off on a desk, shelf or bedside table.

And at less than £10, it makes a cool stocking filler or birthday gift for fans of LEGO or Sonic.

Available at: LEGO

2. Fizz Creations Lava Lamp, £12

– Great for retro room décor

Age suitability: 14+ | Best for age: 16+ | Batteries: Mains powered | Material: Plastic

Lava lamps are having a real revival right now and are one of the most coveted room décor items for style-conscious teens.

This compact lava lamp, standing at 33cm, features a hypnotising blue liquid that flows up and down the lamp when switched on through the mains. It only takes around a minute for the lamp to warm up and the lava effect to kick in.

It’s an affordable way to add a cool '60s vibe to any teen’s bedroom, but we think it’s probably best suited to older teenagers who can be trusted to turn the lamp off after the recommended maximum usage time of 6 hours. Available in a choice of blue lava with black hardware or pink lava with silver hardware.

Available at: Argos

3. Swiftea Mug, £12.50

– Great for Taylor Swift fans

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 12+ | Batteries: None | Material: Ceramic

Serve up your teenage Swiftie’s hot drink of choice with this Taylor-themed Swiftea mug. After a stellar year for the singer – in which she was named Time Magazine Person of the Year and Spotify’s Global Top Artist, along with her sell-out global Eras Tour – this mug would make a great gift for any new or long-term fans, who will be sure to love the pretty, teen-friendly aesthetic.

The ceramic Swiftea mug features a floral design with a bookshelf, each spine showing the name of one of Taylor’s albums, including Reputation, 1989 and Folklore. The mug is available in two colours – plain white or with a pop of striking pink. A 'magic mug' option is also available, where the design is revealed once hot liquid is added to the cup.

A glossy coating means the design will last for more than 3500 washes without fading. It is also microwave and dishwasher safe for those rare times you’ll be able to swipe it from their room.

Available at: Amazon

4. You Are a Champion: How to Be the Best You Can Be by Marcus Rashford, £5

– Great for encouraging positive thinking

Age suitability: 9+ | Best for age: 11+ | Batteries: None | Material: Paper

Give your sport-loving teen a big dose of confidence-boosting positivity with the book You Are A Champion by footballer Marcus Rashford MBE. The book is an inspiring guide to life that encourages young people to be the very best they can be.

Manchester United and England star Marcus is famous worldwide for his skills both on and off the pitch, but the book isn’t just for fans of his team. Written with journalist Carl Anka, You Are A Champion is packed full of positive stories from Marcus’s life, plus advice and tips from performance psychologist Katie Warriner. It features uplifting advice on how kids can be comfortable with themselves, dream big, learn from their mistakes and use their voice to stand up for others.

Available at: Amazon

5. Bubble Tea making kit, £10.99

– Great fun gift

Age suitability: 12+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Various

Help your teen avoid the queues at your local bubble tea store with this DIY kit that lets them serve their own drinks at home. The TeaShed Fruit Bubble Tea Kit Gift Box contains 3 servings of fruit-flavoured tea, plus the flavoured popping boba that make up this popular drink.

Your teen can use the kit to create an iced bubble tea mix by brewing a tea bag and mixing with one of the passion fruit syrup sachets. They can top it with water and ice, then add a spoonful of the strawberry flavoured juice bubbles that burst in your mouth.

The set includes 3 fruit tea bags, 3 sachets of passion fruit-flavoured syrup, a pot of strawberry-flavoured popping boba and 3 paper straws. The product is gluten free, suitable for vegans and contains only a small amount of caffeine.

We think this is a handy stocking-filler that means they can invite pals over for their very own bubble tea party.

Top Testers Club member Stacey has spotted this gift for her daughter. "I have a just-turned 13 year old and she is having a boba tea set," she said.

Available at: Amazon

6. Fluffy socks, £6.99

– Great small gift

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10+ | Batteries: None | Material: Fabric

For teens who love loungewear, give the gift of happy feet with a pair of fluffy socks. Thick socks made from a soft fabric are a must-have for relaxing at home and keeping toes cosy during the colder months.

They are always a popular choice, as noted by Top Testers Club member Jessica, who said, "My 11 year old (nearly 12) has asked for fluffy socks."

There is a range of colours and patterns of socks available at teen favourite New Look, and we think this double pack of pink and cream star fluffy socks will get the nod of approval style-wise.

Available at: New Look

7. Murmioo stainless steel cup with straw, £13.58

– Great for stylish teens who love social media trends

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10+ | Batteries: None | Material: Stainless steel and plastic

For a gift for teens who love keeping up with social media trends, at a more parent-friendly price, take a look at the Murmioo cup. It's a on-trend design of travel cup that comes in a huge variety of colours.

The stainless steel tumbler has a 400ml capacity and is designed to be used on the go, with a leak-proof lid, handle and base that will fit into car cup holders. With its double wall vacuum insulation, the Murmioo cup will keep drinks hot or cold for hours – and it works equally well for foods like salads or pasta.

For teens who love matching their accessories with their outfits, the bottle comes in a cool selection of colours and patterns, from ombre and glittery to animal prints and a starry sky design.

Available at: Amazon

8. Heartstopper Volume 1, £10.99

– Great for fans of graphic novels and LGBTQ+ love stories

Age suitability: 12+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Paper

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love.

That’s the simple premise of Heartstopper, the bestselling LGBTQ+ graphic novel turned Netflix series. The book uses cartoons to tell the same-sex love story between classmates Charlie and Nick and covers a wide range of big topics relevant for older kids, including love, friendship, loyalty and mental illness.

This version of the book is the TV tie-in edition of the original first volume of Heartstopper. For fans of the TV show, this edition features artwork and photographs showing characters from the Netflix series and also contains exclusive pages from writer Alice Oseman’s original TV scripts.

Available at: Amazon and Waterstones

9. Lush Bath Bomb Set, £10

– Great for making bathtime colourful and Christmassy

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10 | Batteries: None | Material: Cosmetics

Add a splash of fun to bathtime with a Bath Bomb set from Lush, the original creators of the bath bomb (a scented bathing product that fizzes and dissolves when tossed in the tub). They go down a treat with teens for their bright aesthetic, appealing smell and colourful designs.

The Sweet Christmas gift set from Lush is a bright, candy-coloured Christmas-themed gift set containing a Snow Fairy Roll bubble bar that produces cotton candy-scented bubbles, and a Butterbear-shaped bath bomb that fizzes when placed in water.

Socially aware teens will be pleased to know all Lush products are handmade using only vegetarian ingredients, and the company does not test on animals.

Available at: Lush

Best gifts for teenagers – £50 and under

10. Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist, £18.70

– Great for fragrance fanatics

Age suitability: 12+ | Best for age: 12 | Batteries: None | Material: Plastic, perfume

Sol de Janeiro is one of the skincare brands du jour for teens, and its colourful and sweet-smelling body sprays would make a good present for any beauty-lover.

Being ‘cheirosa’ means ‘smelling amazing’ in Portuguese, and the Brazilian Crush Cheirosa 68 Perfume Mist is a teen-friendly, delicious-smelling spray that can be used all over the body. It has key notes of Brazilian jasmine and pink dragon fruit, ocean air and a touch of vanilla, and is designed to recreate the scent of a lush garden by the sea. It's a combination that is sure to appeal to teen fragrance fans.

Available at: Boots

11. Jellycat Amuseable Popcorn Soft Toy, £27

– Great for fans of character soft toys

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10+ | Batteries: None | Material: Polyester, cotton

Give a freshly popped gift of joy to your cuddly toy-loving teen this Christmas, with the Amuseable Popcorn toy from Jellycat.

Amusable Popcorn is part of a range of food-shaped character toys from the soft toy makers, and the 18cm Amusable comes with a boldly striped popcorn box body and fluffy two-tone popcorn hair, along with a friendly face and two feet.

We think it’s a sweet (or salted!) accompaniment for any movie night.

Available at: John Lewis

12. Air Up Bottle, from £29.99

– Great for hydration with a twist

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10+ | Batteries: None | Material: Plastic or stainless steel

Air Up is a clever reusable bottle that makes plain water taste like their favourite flavours, with no negative side effects for teeth.

Air Up uses an ingenious system to add flavour to plain water. Because of the removable scented pod that fits around the base of the spout, when drinking your nasal receptors interpret this 'flavoured' air as taste, even though the water itself isn't flavoured.

The bottles are available in the classic range of plastic bottles, in colours including neon pink, purple and blue. You can also buy the newer Gen 2 version and a stainless steel version in either silver or black. The pods are sold separately and come in a variety of fruity and sweet flavours, from strawberry and watermelon through to cherry kola and vanilla swirl.

The bottles are great for encouraging teens to drink more water. MadeForMums writer Gill, mum to Eliza, 11, said, "Air Up is a clever invention that has meant my daughter drinks a lot more water throughout the day."

Available at: Air Up

13. The Flat Lay Makeup Bag, £22.99

– Great for cosmetics fans

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 12+ | Batteries: None | Material: Fabric

Make sure your teen has enough storage for beauty items with the Flat Lay Makeup Bag, a cleverly designed travel make-up organiser. The circular bag is designed to lay flat to display all your teen’s make-up and skincare products and can also be used as a cosmetics mat. The drawstring of the bag can then be pulled shut to close it into a compact make-up case, and you can also hook it together to form a barrel-shaped bag.

The bag has multiple storage features for all their beauty bits and bobs, including two large outer pockets, a zipper pocket and four elastic holders for make-up brushes, allowing your teen to sort and display products. It is also machine-washable, for those inevitable spillages.

Make-up and skincare are popular Christmas choices among the teens of our Top Testers Club parents. TTC member Angela said that her daughter "sees me using products day and night and wants to copy!" So we think this is a good idea to help them sort and store all their new and old products in one place, in their room and on the go.

Available at: Amazon

14. Nip and Fab Teen Skin Fix Deluxe Routine Kit, £39.95

– Great for skincare lovers

Age suitability: 12+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Various

Beauty products are top of the Christmas list for many teens this year, with MadeForMums Top Testers Club member Charlie saying, "My 11 year old has asked for skincare." If you’re buying for a similarly beauty-obsessed teenager, it’s important to make sure any products are suitable for use on teenage skin.

Help them get into a healthy skincare routine from the start with the Nip and Fab Teen Skin Fix Deluxe Routine Kit. The kit contains a selection of the beauty company’s bestselling Teen Skin heroes, specifically designed to prevent blemishes and breakouts on younger – or more sensitive – skin types.

The kit includes a Teen Skin Fix Spot Zap rollerball, Teen Skin Fix Pore Blaster Wash Night gentle daily facial wash, Teen Skin Fix Breakout Rescue Pads in a gently exfoliating pad formula, Teen Skin Fix Pore Blaster Wash Day gentle micellar gel cleanser, Teen Skin Fix Spot Patches and Teen Skin Fix Zero Shine Moisturiser and a Salicylic Fix Sheet Mask. The products are suitable for teenage blemish-prone skin that needs calming, clearing and soothing.

Available at: Nip and Fab

15. Nike NSW Club Fleece Overhead Hoodie, £42

– Great for style-conscious teens who love to be comfortable

Age suitability: 13+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Cotton and polyester

An enduring style classic that is sure to get your hard-to-please teen's nod of approval, the NSW Club Fleece Overhead Hoodie is a top they will happily add to their wardrobe.

The hoodie, available in black or white, comes in a pullover design and has a relaxed fit for the much-loved laidback look. It has a small, embroidered Nike logo on the chest and a brushed lining for warmth. There is also an adjustable drawcord hood and handy front pouch pocket.

Made of 80% cotton, it is also machine washable for those rare times they want to take it off.

Available at: Very

Best gifts for teenagers – £100 and under

16. FORZA Locking Football Goal 8ft x 6ft, £99.99

– Great for active teens

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 11 | Batteries: None | Material: Reinforced PVC

Score points buying your football-loving teen a Forza Garden Goal. This robust 8ft x 6ft goal and net is perfect for screen-free fun for junior players and is designed to be used outside in all seasons due to the weatherproof construction.

Constructed of reinforced PVC, the goal is well-equipped to cope with regular on-target impacts from wannabe Kanes, Bellinghams and Russos. It is simple to assemble and is kitted out with Forza’s locking system to provide increased strength and stability.

The goal can be purchased alone, and you can also buy a carry bag, goal target sheet and Forza kid’s football to accompany it.

"My son has just turned 11. He’s asked for a football goal for the garden," said Lindsay, a member of the MadeForMums Top Testers Club. We think this is a great option to help your teen keep their eye on the ball.

Available at: Amazon

17. Polaroid Go Camera, £79.99

– Great for photo-obsessed teens

Age suitability: 13+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: 1 lithium ion battery (included) | Material: Plastic

Say cheese! Add a retro dose of fun with the Polaroid Go Instant Camera, a portable Polaroid camera that prints instant photos – bound to be a novelty for all camera-phone loving teens.

The Polaroid Go prints photos with the classic Polaroid frames, in smaller versions. The camera is also compact enough to be worn around your neck for on-the-go use.

For creative teens, there is a double exposure feature on the camera to add an arty layer to photos. There is also a selfie mode with the reflective selfie mirror, and the all-important self-timer.

Available at: Amazon

18. Pandora charm bracelet, from £55

– Great meaningful gift

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Various metals

If you’re looking for a jewellery gift that friends and family can add to every year, try a Pandora charm bracelet. This is an eternally classic and elegant item that can be personalised to your teen.

There are multiple options to chose from when it comes to the bracelet, including gold-plated, rose gold and sterling silver straps in finishes including bangles and snake chains.

Once they have the bracelet, they can add the charms of their choice. A wide range of Pandora charms are available, from nature-inspired to hearts and occasion charms, including ones with a Christmas theme. The charms can be removed as often as you like, so your teen can create a look that’s as unique as they are.

Available at: Pandora

19. Adidas Samba, £90

– Great for trainer fanatics

Age suitability: 13+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: None | Material: Leather and rubber

Give your teen a gift that will let them step out in style, a pair of Adidas Samba trainers. Despite being this year’s must-have shoe, the Samba is an iconic style that has been around for decades and has vintage roots that can be traced back to 1950s German footballers.

This year the two-tone shoes, which feature the Adidas 3 stripes, have been spotted on celebs including Kendall Jenner, the Hadid sisters and Jennifer Lawrence. The Samba has a soft leather upper and smooth rubber outsole, serrated brand stripes and a reinforced toe. They are available in a variety of colours including granite, cloud white and wonder clay pink and come in sizes 3-13.5.

Available at: Adidas

20. Turewell Hollywood make-up mirror with lights, £77.99

– Great for beauty-loving teens

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 12 | Batteries: Mains powered (cable, but no plug, included) | Material: Metal and glass

Add a dash of Hollywood glamour to your teen’s bedroom with the Turewell vanity mirror with lights, an old-school lighted make-up mirror. MadeForMums's Danielle recently bought a light-up vanity mirror for her tween, who described it as the "best gift ever".

The mirror sports 12 LED lights surrounding the white-trimmed mirror, in 3 lighting modes – warm white, neutral and cool white.

It means your teen can apply make-up and do their skincare routine even on gloomy days, and this super-stylish product will brighten up any dressing table. And with a smart anti-slip base, it's going to stay in position there.

Available at: Amazon

21. LEGO 42158 Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance Space Set, £59.99

– Great for LEGO lovers who like a challenge

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10 | Batteries: None | Material: Plastic

Give an out-of-this-world Christmas gift to the teen LEGO-lovers in your life with the LEGO Technic NASA Mars Rover Perseverance space model set, a buildable toy version of the real-life space rover model.

There are 1132 pieces in the model, which once built has 360° steering, moveable arms, articulated 6-wheel suspension and is designed to introduce kids to the world of engineering and the challenges of space exploration. It also includes a buildable toy version of NASA’s Ingenuity helicopter, used to test powered flight on the Red Planet.

A clever augmented reality app brings this science discovery mission to life, allowing your teen to explore rover details and its mission to Mars. We think this is a great gift for fans of LEGO who like to be challenged with their builds.

Available at: Amazon

Best gifts for teenagers – £100+

22. Xbox Series X/S, from £209.99

– Great for the game selection

Age suitability: 12+ | Best for age: 13 | Batteries: 2 x AA for controllers (included) | Material: Plastic

If your teenager is a serious gaming fan, then look no further than the next gen Xbox Series X and its budget-friendly, disc-free alternative the Series S. These consoles pack enough power to handle the latest games from Forza Horizon 5 to EA Sports FC 2024. Where the Series X and S really win, though, is with the Xbox Game Pass subscription service.

Game Pass is essentially like Netflix for games, instantly giving you access to a range of games including Forza Horizon 5 and classics like Minecraft and Sea of Thieves. Considering how expensive games can get, Game Pass offers incredible value and allows the gamer in your home immediate access to some of the best games on Xbox.

Available at: Xbox, Very, John Lewis (Series X), Xbox, Very, John Lewis (Series S)

23. Nintendo Switch OLED, £309.99

– Great for portable gaming

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 12 | Batteries: Rechargeable, included | Material: Plastic

If your teenager doesn't already have a Switch, then it is the perfect Christmas gift. It’s one of the most versatile consoles around with the ability to take your games anywhere in handheld mode and then dock them to your TV at home to play on the bigger screen. Speaking of games, as we covered in our best Nintendo Switch games list, there are a range of games available for all interests.

Recent blockbusters like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros Wonder are fantastic games, perfect for the Christmas season. Then you’ve got free-to-play classics like Fortnite and Roblox, alongside a plethora of indie games and even a back catalogue of games from previous Nintendo consoles.

It’s not the most powerful console on the market, but what it lacks in graphical power it more than makes up for in versatility, game selection and fun factor.

Available at: John Lewis, Very

24. UGG Classic Mini II Boot, £165

– Great cool gift

Age suitability: 10+ | Best for age: 10+ | Batteries: None | Material: Sheepskin and leather

Did you know the UGG Classic Mini II Boot was originally worn by surfers to keep warm after early-morning sessions? It’s an iconic look that is now a current teen shoe of choice. This style of the soft sheepskin mini boot also features two parent-friendly updates: stain-and-water resistance and a lightweight sole to increase cushioning, durability and traction.

These are versatile boots made of sheepskin and suede, which are treated to repel moisture. For cosy feet, there is also a sheepskin insole. The short 14cm boot features a rear tab making it easier to pull them on.

Your teen can put their best foot forward in the Classic Mini II Boot in 10 colours, including the traditional UGG shades of beige, brown and green, and more vivid shades of red and pink.

Available at: UGG

25. Hyper Jet Fuel BMX Bike 26" Wheel, £250

– Great for bike lovers who want to stand out

Age suitability: 13+ | Best for age: 13+ | Batteries: None | Material: Steel and rubber

Help your bike-loving teen stand out from the crowd with the Hyper 26" Jet Fuel BMX bike. This is a seriously cool and unusual-looking bike with a heavy-duty steel frame and a metallic paint finish that’s similar to the ones ridden by the Hyper pro team of BMX athletes.

It’s also packed full of features, including raised handlebar grips, alloy platform pedals and wheels with gold anodised alloy hubs for a stylish, smooth ride. Safety-wise, there’s a braking system that combines a rear alloy V-Brake and front alloy calliper brake, and a matching Hyper BMX saddle.

Available at: Halfords